


A Snowy Interval

by Small_Hobbit



Series: Twelve Days of Christmas plus A Few [14]
Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-27 08:37:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13244550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: Holmes has solved the case, but the snow will prevent him and Watson from returning to London.





	A Snowy Interval

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alafaye](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/gifts).



“The expression on Renfrew’s face when he realised the game was up almost made the case worthwhile on its own,” Holmes laughed as we entered the front door of the inn we had been staying at for the past couple of days.

I joined in with his laughter.  It was certainly a relief Holmes had solved the case so quickly; none of the characters involved, with the exception of Renfrew’s niece, had been at all pleasant to deal with, and we were both pleased not to have to do so any longer.  We were looking forward to getting back to London and a housekeeper who only glared at us when she had reason to do so, rather than because she disliked us on principle.

Our pleasant thoughts of going home were short-lived however, because we were met by the innkeeper, who said, “I’m sorry, gentlemen, but it is unlikely you will be able reach the station tonight.  Mr Jones, the carter, arrived about an hour ago and said the snow had been falling heavily the other side of the hill, and there is more snow forecast.  Even if you are able to get through, there is no guarantee the train will be running.”

We turned and looked out of the front door.  There had been wisps of snow blowing around as we had walked the half mile back from Stapleton Hall, which had turned into more frequent flakes for the last five minutes.  We could see now the snow was beginning to lie, and had grown heavier even in the few minutes since we had entered the inn.

I looked at Holmes and could see him making the same calculations I was.  The innkeeper was right.  It might be possible to find someone who would convey us to the station, but to do so and find we had missed the last train would be a pointless exercise.  When we had gone to the Hall in the morning we had vacated our room and left our suitcases ready packed so we could collect them and depart that afternoon.  It looked now as if we had been rather premature.

“Do you have any rooms available for tonight?” Holmes asked.

The innkeeper nodded.  “I’m afraid your previous room has been taken, but there is another room on the same floor which I think will be free.  It has been reserved, but the occupants have not yet arrived.  If you were able to wait until after dinner, then if there is still no sign of them I think it will be safe to assume they will not be coming tonight, and you may have it.  Otherwise there is a smaller room on the floor above which is definitely free.”

“What do you think, Watson?”

“Let’s have dinner and then see if the larger room is free.  If not, the smaller one will be considerably preferable to sheltering in a barn because we’ve tried to catch a train,” I said.

By the time we had finished dinner it was clear no-one else would be arriving that night.  Even the public bar was quiet, since only those living in close vicinity had braved the walk through the snow.  Holmes and I carried our suitcases back upstairs, following the innkeeper’s wife, who showed us to our new room.

The room was slightly apart from the others on the same floor.  The inn had been extended in the past by incorporating a neighbouring cottage, and it was probable this room had originally belonged to the cottage.  From its position I assumed it looked over the fields, but the curtains were currently firmly shut in order to keep out the cold.  There was a fire burning in the grate, and the room had clearly been warmed for us.

“Thank you, Mrs Warren,” Holmes said.  “What time will breakfast be in the morning?”

“We normally serve breakfast from eight till nine, but tomorrow if you are down by ten o’clock that should be no problem.  Indeed, I shall be grateful if some of our patrons do come a little later as I suspect my assistant cook is unlikely to make it in, for she lives on one of the farms.”

“I assume from that we are unlikely to be able to depart early tomorrow morning?”

“Oh no, sir.  It will be lunchtime before the roads have been cleared sufficiently.  And by then my husband will know whether you will be able to leave for the train, or whether you will need to spend a further night under our roof.”

We thanked her for the information and she left.  I removed my shoes and stretched out on one of the beds. 

“Which bed do you suggest we use tonight, Holmes?” I asked.

“I agree with you,” he replied.  “The one you are currently occupying is away from the window and will therefore be warmer.”

“It has been a long day,” I said.  “I was thinking of getting an early night.”

He chuckled, “An early night and a late morning?  Our landlady seemed to suggest that would be a good idea.”

“Although I hardly think she and you have exactly the same thing in mind!”

***

We made it down to breakfast shortly before ten o’clock.  The landlady greeted us and assured us we were still in time.  She disappeared back into the kitchen and reappeared shortly afterwards with two full plates, together with the news that, although it has ceased snowing we would not be able to reach the station that day. 

“However, unless it snows significantly again, you should be able to depart tomorrow morning.  We are short-staffed, so I shall only be providing a buffet lunch with cold meats, and then dinner will be at six o’clock.  I hope this will be acceptable to you.”

“Of course,” Holmes replied.  “We are grateful you are able to both accommodate and feed us.  Do you think we might be able to go for a walk round the village?”

“Yes, if you wish to do so.  We can lend you some overshoes if that would help.”

We thanked her for the offer and turned to our breakfasts.  Mrs Warren was a good cook and I had every intention of enjoying my food.

We set off for our walk after breakfast.  We were well wrapped up, and the air, although cold, was not biting.  It was good to be outside and enjoying the country air.  In addition, we were practically alone, for, apart from those whose work forced them outside, everyone else had elected to remain indoors.  The workers made their way with determination and scarcely cast us a look.

We therefore took advantage of the situation to walk hand-in-hand, something we only dared do under cover of darkness when in London.  There was no-one close by to see us, and from a distance they would simply assume we were walking near each other – a natural action given the state of the ground.

By the time we returned to the inn most of the other diners had finished, but there were sufficient cold meats left we had no reason for complaint, and indeed it would have been our own fault since our arrival was somewhat tardy.

We were greeted with the good news we should be able to depart the following morning.  We therefore spent the afternoon in our room, Holmes ostensibly writing up some notes, while I equally ostensibly rested my leg.  After dinner we were invited to join in playing cards, but Holmes pleaded the need to pack and have an early night, prior to departing first thing the next day.

We were pleased to find there was no further snowfall that night to again delay our departure and thus reached the railway station without too much difficulty.  Once we had found ourselves a compartment on the train, Holmes stretched out and said, “Delightful as our interlude in the country has been, I am looking forward to our own home comforts.  And, in particular, a slightly wider bed.”

 

 


End file.
